Life-belt.



S. P. BJERRE. UFE BELT. APPLICATIONVFIIlED JULV2.1917.

` 1,275.64?. Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

swANr. Banaan; or unicaen, :rLtrNora y y LIFE-BELT..

namen. Y

Specification i of `)pletters lE'atent.

Application med July 2, 1917. Serial No. 178,076.

To all whom 1f/may concern:

Be it known that I, SWAN P. BJERRE, a subject of the King of Sweden, and resident ci Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Belts, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to life belts and its object is to provide certain improvements well adapted to increase the serviceability of the type of belt having the carrying power and construction shown in my Patent No. 1,212,315, by providing auxiliary carrying means and convenient arrangements for inflating and dellating the-belt and for adjusting or repairing its air-valve.

With the above-named objects in view my invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinatter described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of my heretofore patented belt with the present improvements applied thereto.

lllig. 2 is an enlarged view of the ordinary air pump for such a purpose with my air valve operating device removably and adjustably mounted on the flexible tube for the pp..

ITig. 3 is an enlarged side view of said device with a longitudinal section of the air valve, partly broken away.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the air valve alone.

Iig. 5 is a perspective view of the air valllve and a broken away portion of the life be t..

In the several views 2 and 3 represent the runs or layers of a life belt made with a doubled and incased air tube such as provided for pneumatic tires. That portion of the casing which forms a connecting web between the parts 2 and 3 is designated as 4. To 'this portion 4 I sew, or otherwise attach,

i at suitable intervals or spaced apart points,

5@ @y Il? @y 9 7 10; and 1.1 f0.1' the CQDVIlience ofA as at 5, 5 a 'stout canvas strip or plain belt, to 'provide a series of loops or hand-holds other persons struggling in the water and who have no belts oi their own, as the life belt can sustain. A moderate size belt of the indicated form of construction has approximately 600 square inches of air space, while only about is necessary to lioat an ordinary perso-n. The ends of the looped or auxiliary belt are merged with the ends of the life belt, or serve as the ends of the latter, and are designated by the numerals 12 and 13. On the part 12 is a buckle 14 which is engaged with a suitable hole 15 in the part 13. To the hand-hold strip 6-11 is removably attached with the aid of a loop 16 an ordinary hand pump 1'? provided with a flexible tube 18 with coupling nipples 19 and 20. The coupling member 20 is engaged with a li fe belt valve-nipple 21. The valve and stem -22- is shown slidably guided in the usual spider and provided with the customary collar 23 against which bears a spring 241 that holds the valve seated against the shoulder or valve-seat 25 in the valve casing 26. External threads 27 on the latter are engaged with threads 28 in the nipple 21 and has lugs 29 and 30 to be engaged by a suitable turning instrument for the purpose of inserting or removing the valve casing 26. For emergency purposes I have provided a small instrument 31 the body of which is tapered 'from the middle toward both ends. The instrument 31 is revolubly mounted on a band 32 which is held in a recess 33 cut around the tool 31. The band 32 is swiveled on a pivot 311 to a ring 35 that slips over the tube 13 and is held against passing the ends of the tube by its attachments to the pump and air valve, respectively. One end of the tool 31 is formed with a pair of prongs 36 and 37 which straddle the stem 22 and are adapted to engage the lugs 29 and 30 to turn the valve casing on its threads. In the opposite end of the tool 31 is a slight depression 38 that may be engaged with the tip of the stem 22 to push the same in against the resistance of the spring 24 for the purpose of exhausting the air from the belt when it is to be folded up as when not in service. The specific details 0f valve and nipple construe-f Patented Alle; iaiei's.

tion are not involved in the present invendepression, an air-pump removably mounted 10 tion, all such valves being provided With in said depression, :t flexible connection bethreaded parts and an air-release stem. tween said air-pump and said air-vulve,z1nd I claim asmy invention-r uy valve-adjusting. instrument adjustnbly The combination .wvthian eirbuyed lie-A `'mounted on fsaid? l'eiible con'nention; belt consisting of a pair of layers with a. de- In testimony whereof I have hereunto 15 pression or space therebetween, of an airsigned my name. l valve for said belt, a stripmhavingas 'series-"' of hand-holds thereon and Secured in said Y I SWAN l?. BJ ERBE.

i Copies of thislpeternt may be obtained for five cents eachfby addressing the Commissioner of Yatents,

` Washiiigtongn'cw 

